Mandolin



(No Model.)

E. P. HALL.- MANDOLIN.

No. 567,028. Patented-Sept. l, 1896.

Illlil' gummi! TH: Nuams Farms co.. Pme-.'o-Lvmo.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.V

EDWARD P. HALL, OF URBANA, ILLINOIS.

MANDOLIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,028, dated September 1, 1896.

Application led October 1 0, l 8 9 5.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD P. HALL, of Urbana, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mandoline; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in stringed musical instruments, and has particular reference to a novel bowl or soundingchamber therefor.

It consists, essentially, in employing a natural shell for the bowl; and its objects are to produce a unique, durable, handsome, and mellow-toned instrument which will not be affected by weather variations, as are wood instruments, and will not have the harsh disagreeable sound incident to metallic bowls.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a shell mandolin embodying my invention; Fig, 2, a transverse section on line-2 2, Fig. 1.

The bowl A is formed of a single marine shell, thev mouth of the shell being closed by a sounding-board B, which is litted closely to' the edges and swell of the shell, so as to convert the interior thereof into a soundingchamber. The swellct of the shell rises above the sounding-board at one side thereof and constitutes a rest for the hand of the player. The sounding-board has the usual opening and may be braced by transverse strips or stays b underneath, as indicated in the drawings.

The neck D is securely attached to the pointed end of the shell and can be made Serial No. 565,269. (No model.)

shorter and more compact than usual. It has the usual frets d and keys E to tighten the strings, which are fastened to a metallic bridge-piece F, which is secured to the buttend of the shell.

The advantages I claim for this instrument are a sweeter and mellower tone, which always remains of the same quality, the handrest, which renders it less tiresome to play, and the one-piece shell bowl, forming a perfect resonating-chamber. I

The bowl has no joints or staves to open or spring out of place, is unaected by water, weather,orhard usage, can take the finest and highest polish, and is perfectly novel in appearance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

l. A stringed musical instrument consisting of a shell having a swell extending above and to one side of the sounding-board, a sounding-board closing the mouth of the shell, and a neck, attached to the shell, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

2. A stringed musical instrument having a shell bowl, the swell of the shell forming a hand-rest, a sounding-board fitted over the mouth of the shell, and the neck, yoke keys and strings, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD P. I-IALL.

Witnesses:

A. J. MILLER, SPENCER M. WHITE. 

